


Manger

by Merixcil



Series: Advent Fics 2017 [23]
Category: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:02:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24771328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merixcil/pseuds/Merixcil
Summary: Pulse traditions are strange
Relationships: Lightning/Oerba Yun Fang
Series: Advent Fics 2017 [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1767640





	Manger

The hut stands on the edge of an uninhabitable wasteland, the Archylte Steppe long behind them and the last traces of vegetation bleeding out as they reach the far flung corner of this great desert.

“See, this great big patch of sand right here is bigger than all the green on Pulse combined.” Fang explains, picking her way through the rocky outcrop sheltering a few hardy cacti. They haven’t seen a tree in three days. Lightning is starting to question the wisdom of following Fang on this trek. It had sounded like fun, to have some time to split between the two of them. But the reality of the situation is that they’ve spent a lot more time fighting off monsters and struggling to stay hydrated than enjoying each other’s company.

Not that Lightning doesn’t enjoy the process of grim survival, but she’d been hoping for something more concrete to serve as a reward for the journey. She frowns down towards the tiny hut and hopes that it has freeze dried food available. If she has to go hunting for cactua again she’s going to scream. “What is this place?”

“I forget.” Fang shrugs. “It was part of the old stories, the ones we lost. I dunno, my mum used to come out here once a year so I try to keep up the old ways. Sooner or later someone will come up with a new story for why we do this.”

“And what is ‘this’ exactly?” Lighting asks, exasperation bleeding into her voice.

Fang turns back to her, grinning wicked. “We’re gonna help some critters struggling to survive out here on the edge of all known life.”

Fantastic. Lightning does her best to hide her scowl as Fang leads them up to the door of the hut. Inside it’s small and musty, the smell of animal droppings obvious where they’ve been camping out in here, no doubt sheltering from the punishing sun. The first thing she notices is the water pump by the door, leading into a trough that runs along the ground, a thin stream of water pouring from the spout. As her eyes adjust to the gloom she can see a manger beyond, empty save for the husk of some great insect that has long since outgrown its shell.

In three strides, Fang has crossed the room, opened her pack and dumped a load of animal feed into the manger. “There!” She grins. “All done?”

“That’s it?” Lighting says in a very thin voice.

“Yeah!” Fang winks back at her, clicking her fingers and lighting up the hut with a mystical flame hovering overhead. “Now we just have to spend the night.”

One night to the two of them is better than nothing, Lightning supposes.

**Author's Note:**

> This work was originally posted as part of a multi chaptered 'advent fics' fic that I'm trying to split up. If you think you've read it before, you probably have


End file.
